Clever Clocks Get You Up

Are you one of those people who just can't get up in the morning? Well, artists and roboticists have been hard at work (until late a night, no doubt) to create clever clocks that will make sure you get out of bed.

Blank-o-Matic

Blank-o-Matic is just the thing for those of us who work on our websites until late, and then must rise in a timely fashion the next day. EH Burneleit and Katrin Lutkemoller have worked out an alarm system and bed that will not only provide you with a wake-up call, but will also pull down the covers. No longer cozy, you will get up - at least, that's the theory.

The Anemone Clock

This little guy uses sound, light, movement and forced interaction to get you going early on. As soon as the alarm goes off, it rumbles and buzzes - that way, you can't find the off switch. If you let it go for more than a short time, it shakes itself right off the bedside table, forcing you to go look for it to turn it off.

Sfera Gets You UP

Sfera is an unusual art project by Hayat Benchenaa (with Garikoitz Iruretagoiena). It's an alarm clock that hangs over your bed; it dims its light and soothes you with music as you go to sleep. In the morning, Sfera chimes and you reach up to give it a tap to silence it. A tap initiates the snooze function; Sfera climbs up its cord, forcing you to reach higher and higher. Eventually, you'll have to stand up and pull it down, silencing Sfera.

Clocky Runs And Hides

Clocky is a clever little clock with wheels that knows you want to snooze, and is ready to roll. Sure, Clocky gives you one chance to snooze, but after that, Clocky sees how far away from your bed it can get.

Hakugen Scent-Based Alarm Clock

This clock sneaks up on you by issuing any of several attractive and (I hope) wakeful scents. Here's the sales pitch, translated: "By the fact that the fragrance only of morning starts drifting from 30 minutes ago of the alarm, it is the necessity of the refreshing morning which arranges the environment which is suited for awaking." I particularly like the Hakugen, because it reminds me of the Odalarm from Frank Herbert's 1977 novel The Dosadi Experiment.